Don't mind me, just a 953 moving snow.

[Justy37 41]

It's a good thing I have ww-93 weights. My lift is a 2000 pound winch with a snack block.. and to charge battery, a 10si 63 amp one wire alternator. Never a dead battery.

Edited March 10, 2019 by Justy37

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

Sweet!!

[peter lena 8,035]

no doubt , you must be driving the purist’s nuts, i think its great that you have truly made that horse, to your own design and liking. good job on that, Pete

[Justy37 41]

Yes, bought the 953 from a old guy several years ago. He used it for plowing a small church parking lot, and wore out the original kohler. He replaced that with a old cast iron briggs engine which when I got it, the head was cracked. Instead of messing around with worn out parts, replaced it engine with the predator 420cc, which had to move the front nose piece 4" to fit. Still have and use the hydraulic lift and 54" dozer blade. So added a swisher bucket and have a one bottom 12" moldboard which runs off hydraulic lift in slot hitch. The bucket mount are wide enough to pull bucket off and put dozer blade on.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Justy37

[Justy37 41]

When bought it, looked like this with a cracked briggs head.

[Pullstart 59,549]

Do you have any videos of that bucket moving... or pictures of it in the down position and up close?

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,440]

Nice custom modifications 

[Retired Wrencher 4,874]

Justy37. Nice job on the conversion. Looks like it can move some snow or dirt.

 

[Rob R 951]

Nice work question do you have any issue with the belt slipping especially with no tension Idler.....? 

[Mike'sHorseBarn 2,619]

10 hours ago, pullstart said:

Do you have any videos of that bucket moving... or pictures of it in the down position and up close?

 

Ditto, I'm curious now! I think that predator looks pretty cool under that hood!

[Justy37 41]

Will try to answer some stuff in a lump sum here. 

 

No issues with belt slipping.. It's a 3/8 belt and when there is a load on it, I probably loose 1/2 to 1 hp. Even at idle, it can charge pretty good. The predator from factory idles at 1850 rpm, alternator needs to be 1250 rpm to put out any reasonable amps. I made myself a slotted bar which I can take a pry-bar and tighten the belt and tighten the adjuster bolt. Quite a bit of tension on that belt.

 

Some pictures with bucket down. Have done a few slight mods since these pictures, like 3/8 x 2" thick corner brackets between front axle and winch otherwise everything it 3/8 steel. Welded a pulley on bucket mount to double lift capacity, but real purpose wasn't the issue of lifting. It was because it reduced the amount of force the winch brake had to hold. Still lifts pretty fast. I can go into a pile lift and back out less than 20 seconds. In some cases, it lifts to fast.

 

As for video, none yet. But sooner or later will.

 

I wanted this setup for the bucket. Eventually down the road, I'll be turning this setup into like a hydraulic buford bucket setup they have for deere. For the price and nice job they did making this bucket. I couldn't justify building it myself.

 

The predator has been a very good engine and no issues. More power than a 953 needs. I change oil in it regular and treat it like a 2000 dollar engine. It can pull a 12" bottom plow in second gear half throttle no problem. Pulled some pretty good size trees as well. People in the neighborhood call it the little red tank, after pulling a 13" diameter black walnut tree down the road, that with the leaves and branches still on it.  Cut the tree off at the ground and pulled it about a block down to a guy who wanted the tree for his woodshop. He was going to make some stools or something out of it.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2019 by Justy37

[953 nut 51,512]

I love it!        I may or may not be the "purist" Peter was calling out, but rest assured there is room in our hobby for modifications to keep them working and fitting the owner's needs.